As we mentioned yesterday, Alex Rodriguez had his long-awaited meeting with MLB’s investigators on Friday. Now we have the fallout.

According to Bill Madden and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News, lawyers for Rodriguez are internally discussing the possibility of a plea deal with MLB. It’s believed that MLB also broached the possibility of a settlement with Ryan Braun and other players connected to Biogenesis.

According to another source, Rodriguez’s meeting with MLB ended at about 4 p.m., and a clearly shaken Rodriguez then met with MLB Players Association reps for an hour and a half to discuss what had been outlined by MLB officials. When Rodriguez didn’t show up at the Yankee complex, GM Brian Cashman then tried to reach the three-time AL MVP, who told him that he “just couldn’t make it.”

Meanwhile, an A-Rod spokesman told The News Saturday night in reference to a possible plea deal that “nobody from Alex’s team has made any such comments, and as we have said before, we are respecting the process and following the procedures as outlined in the joint agreement.”

As The News has reported, MLB is believed to have extensive evidence, including Bosch’s own testimony, that Rodriguez committed multiple violations of the joint drug agreement, including acquiring performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch for several years. The self-described “biochemist” has been cooperating with MLB for several weeks in exchange for being dropped from baseball’s lawsuit against him for tortious interference with its player contracts, indemnifying him for legal expenses and putting in a good word for him with law enforcement, and he is believed to have provided proof of his dealings with Rodriguez.

“I can see a scenario where if they’ve got multiple offenses (against A-Rod) that rather than going for his career with an arbitrator, baseball might settle on something like 150 games,” said one of the sources.

According to the Joint Drug Agreement, players are suspended 50 games for a first violation, 100 games for a second, and receive a lifetime ban for a third. As a result, it’s unclear where the 150-game number is coming from, but MLB could be floating it as a compromise if they have a legitimate case for a lifetime ban. Rodriguez would be entitled to an appeal, but a plea deal could be more appealing than hoping that an arbitrator will rule in his favor, especially if his legal team believes the evidence against him is significant and credible. In addition to his career potentially being on the line, Rodriguez still has $100 million remaining on his contract with the Yankees.

Unless I am mistaken, Alex has been tested for at least 5 years and has yet to fail a test. The period of time in which he took ‘roids was before there was a testing program. Until such time that he fails a sanctioned CBA approved test, he has not done anything wrong. Testing is a 12 month program as I understand the terms of the CBA.

Hate on Alex all you want for being a jerk, having a contract that earns him more money in 1 hour than we get in a year, and so on. Until he fails a test, he is clean. MLB set up the rules in the CBA, and it appears that now they are looking for a do over and a way to find a loophole to make up for past sins.

Major League Professional Baseball will be a far better sport/business when Selig finally retires. Oakland will be better off as well.

I am more concerned about the instant replay situation than I am about Alex or any other player that might have used ‘roids in the past. The past is just that, the past, gone, over, bye-bye. Cheat today, get punished. If you went over the speed limit in your car 2 years ago, should you get a speeding ticket next week?

The drugs were ahead of the current testing. That is why he doesn’t have a positive test. The guy got busted once, and he couldn’t stop, and he won’t ever stop until he can’t play.

Its not “hating” on Alex Rodriguez , the guy is bad for baseball. But he is a great teaching point for coaches and parents to use as a person to not be like. He will never be thought of as a positive part of baseball history. He will have piles and piles of money to sit in as well as his kids kids kids, you can’t take that away from him.

He should just try the medical retirement route before this all goes down.

And yes, instant replay needs to be in place, ASAP. Baseball cannot continue getting calls wrong that the viewers/fans can clearly be shown in seconds after the play that the umpire got the human eye call wrong. Embrace the help of technology. Hire an extra umpire to work the instant replay booth and allow him to correct calls from above if need be by buzzing down to the home plate ump with a proper call. Balls and strikes should still be left up to the home plate ump, everything else is fair game for a quick review.

I don’t care about whether or not he took drugs but he has lied… This coward is only looking for a way out! He screwed up and lied, then had to come clean and now he is wiggling like an earthworm on a fishhook. I never trusted this guy and could never like him and now I know why. I don’t like arrogant, egotistical jerks of which he is a charter member. He has not been good for baseball because he has not been REAL… Of those millions of dollars, just what has he shared with some needy organization or how much has he doled out on the street to help someone in need. He may well have done so but if he did I can’t believe he did it anonymously… he wants the limelight and I believe that he would only do it if it made him look good… Then again, just how much has he given back to help and just how much has he given back to baseball itself without thinking of himself??? Nope, say it like you wish and bring out all the stats but as a man, I find this jerk lacking BIG TIME and now, he cheapens both himself and baseball if he gets a “deal” and gets out of all this with a slap on the hands…

Yeah, to me there’s not much the Players Union or whomever that joke of an organization is should be able to say. ARod, Braun, and the rest of those dirt bags should have to stand alone and take their medicine as an example. Not like it’ll happen, but I so wish they could be forced to make anti-PED PSA’s that would be shown in all MLB ballparks. Something like that…we need to make something positive out of this Godawful mess.